Ch.20Ninja

Time flew by quickly. Despite Reynard and the trio diligently gathering information about their target, they hadn’t achieved much success.

This was because the local residents weren’t cooperative with them. They seemed to know something but pretended not to.

“They’re deliberately concealing information about the reincarnator!”

BANG!

Theo slammed his fist on the table. He was furious at the residents’ uncooperative attitude. Watching him, Reynard spoke.

“Seems like the guy was well-liked by the people. When they had problems, he’d step up to help without asking for anything in return. Can’t blame them.”

“Senior! Shouldn’t we just round them all up?”

“Not so simple. We haven’t confirmed he’s a reincarnator yet. Without definitive proof, we can’t force anything.”

“But I heard he was asking around for blacksmiths who could make katanas! Isn’t that confirmation enough?”

“Unfortunately, we can’t label someone a reincarnator just for that. What if Rover is an innocent citizen?”

“Ugh…”

Seorin pulled out a crumpled bundle of documents from inside her coat. It contained Rover’s personal information.

There were no specific charges against Rover. He was merely suspected of behaving like a reincarnator, which was why Seorin’s group had been dispatched to investigate further.

Until Rover was confirmed as a reincarnator, they couldn’t force residents to answer questions or request support from the city guard.

“Frustrating, isn’t it? You’ll get used to it eventually.”

Reynard patted Theo’s shoulder as he fumed, and ordered four beers. The waiter who took the order quickly disappeared.

At that moment, Flora asked in surprise.

“W-wait a minute! Beer?”

“Why?”

“Well, doesn’t the first rule in the Blue Wing manual clearly state that drinking is prohibited during missions?”

“Oh, did it?”

“What do you mean ‘did it’? Aren’t we on a mission right now?”

Seorin nodded at Flora’s words. She definitely remembered reading that. When she first learned to read and write simple words, the Blue Wing manual was the first thing she read.

Seorin rummaged through her bag and pulled out the Blue Wing manual.

“I remember too, Flora. Here… it’s written here… Flora is right and Senior Reynard is wrong.”

“Wait, you actually brought that…?”

Reynard scratched his head. He had read it once and never looked at it again, so seeing someone carry the manual all the way to a mission was a first for him.

Reynard said, “It’s night now. We need to rest too.”

Shortly after, the four beers they ordered were placed on the table. Reynard immediately took a swig.

The cool carbonation moistened his mouth and seeped into his body.

“Ahh~”

An irrepressible sigh of satisfaction escaped him. Reynard ran his hand through his hair, feeling the cool sensation spreading through his body. His usually narrowed eyes opened slightly with pleasure, revealing snake-like eyes to the world.

Sniff sniff-

Seorin held the beer mug with both hands. It was too large for her to grip with just one hand.

This was a type of alcohol she had never seen before. A fizzing sound continuously emanated from it.

Seorin’s gaze shifted to her peers. Theo was drinking his beer without hesitation, while Flora was just glaring at her mug reluctantly.

She had been taught that the rules written in the Blue Wing manual must be followed. But she wanted to drink. She wanted to try this beer she was seeing for the first time.

Seorin was honest about her desires.

“Ah! Seorin!”

Flora shouted as Seorin brought the mug to her lips. But Seorin’s actions were faster.

Glug glug-

Seorin didn’t stop. She emptied the mug completely, feeling the cold heat seeping into her body.

CLANK-!

“Haa…”

Not bad. Actually, quite good. Seorin felt the intoxication gradually spreading.

“Oh, no…!”

Flora’s gaze darted around frantically. Her superior was drinking, and both her peers were drinking too.

In this situation, she felt like she was the odd one out.

Eventually, Flora also downed her beer.

What followed was a typical drinking session. New beers were ordered, and various foods were brought to the table.

The trio and Reynard enjoyed their time, drinking heartily.

The first to stop was Seorin. Being small in stature, her stomach filled up quickly.

“Ugh…”

Seorin wiped her face and let out a long sigh. The strong smell of alcohol on her breath made her feel nauseous.

“Are you okay? Want to get some fresh air?”

It was Flora who looked after Seorin. Seorin stared blankly at Flora, who was looking at her with concern.

“You’re cute…”

“What…?”

“Not as cute as my sister though.”

“What…? Sister? Seorin?”

Seorin rose from her seat, her body swaying. Indeed, as Flora suggested, she needed some fresh air.

If she kept smelling the alcohol and food inside the tavern, she felt like she might throw up everything in her stomach.

Seorin slowly moved her feet.

“I’ll go outside for a bit.”

“W-wait, Seorin! Should I come with you?”

As Seorin tried to leave, Theo called out urgently. He was so rushed that the fork he was holding fell to the floor.

Seorin frowned and shook her head.

“I’m fine. I prefer to be alone.”

Seorin staggered out of the tavern. Not planning to go far, she headed to a relatively quiet spot and sat down.

“Haa…”

As the cold wind hit her, her nauseous feeling began to subside. Seorin looked at a small mirror attached to an unlit building.

In it, a girl with unfocused eyes was grinning.

Look at this face. How could this be a human face? Her sister’s face was undoubtedly that of a bewitching demon that captivated men’s hearts.

Seorin was completely entranced by the reflection in the mirror.

A gentle breeze softly brushed through her snow-white hair. Seorin tucked her hair behind her ear and caressed her cheek.

Her flushed cheeks felt hot.

The hand caressing her cheek slowly moved down to rest on her sword hilt. Seorin’s relaxed demeanor changed instantly.

A gaze.

Seorin felt someone watching. It was the same feeling she had when they first arrived in this city.

‘Someone is watching. They’re close. If I go back into the tavern to alert the others, they might disappear.’

Her deliberation was brief. Seorin immediately summoned her mana.

The sky above was clear. Small stars twinkled in the pitch-black sky without a single cloud.

Seorin immediately began running along the wall.

Tap-tap-tap!

At first, she used only her two legs. But as time passed, Seorin’s posture lowered. Like a marten racing across a snow-white field, both of Seorin’s hands touched the wall.

The intoxication enveloping her body wasn’t a major issue. Her sense of direction was just a bit shaky. Seorin quickly climbed the tall wall and stood on the roof of the building.

The owner of the gaze was there.

“Who are you?”

Her sense of direction hadn’t fully returned, so she couldn’t stand on two legs. Seorin growled from a crouched position.

“What the…”

Seorin’s gaze examined the figure. Everything they wore was pitch black. The cloth wrapping their arms and legs, the mask covering their face. It looked like an outfit prepared to avoid others’ gazes in the middle of the night.

It was beyond suspicious. Seorin placed her hand on her sword. She instinctively felt that the person was definitely a reincarnator.

She didn’t know why she was so certain. It was just instinct. Seorin trusted her instincts.

Tap!

The moment the small girl’s foot hit the roof, she began running on all fours. Tap-tap-tap-tap! Her body, enhanced by mana, accelerated at an incredible speed, closing the distance.

At that moment.

The masked figure brought their hands together. Their fingers formed a strange pattern. Seorin felt an ominous sensation that made her hair stand on end.

“Hi no Tokage!”

It was a phrase she had never heard before. Seorin thought it sounded like an incantation tribal shamans would recite before using magic.

Whoosh!

The flames that started from the figure’s fingertips instantly grew larger, creating a massive form. Seorin immediately stopped in her tracks and swung her sword widely.

Swish!

The mana within her body, carrying a chilling cold, scattered white powder along the path of her slash.

“Ugh!”

Yet the intense heat didn’t disappear. Seorin immediately spread her cloak to cover her face.

The moment Seorin’s vision was obscured by the cloak, the masked figure swung their hand as if they had been waiting for this opportunity. Black shuriken shot from their hand.

Thud- Thud-thud-thud!

One hit her cloak, and two each struck her arms and legs. Seorin immediately rolled off the building, falling to the ground below.

The masked figure didn’t attempt any further attacks. After staring at Seorin who had fallen off the building for a while, they leaped in the opposite direction.

The figure’s form faded into the darkness.

Seorin quickly got to her feet. She felt pain in her arms and legs, but there was no time to worry about that.

Seorin immediately kicked open the tavern door and shouted.

“Reincarnator! A reincarnator has appeared!”